TNI Syllabus: Gaming and Feminism

The last couple weeks have seen a frenzy of organized misogynist harassment of female and feminist game producers, critics and commentators by self-identified “gamers.” Women in all fields face constant harassment just for having the audacity to appear online, let alone doing so to critique white supremacist patriarchy, and we do not want to imply in any way that game critics are alone in this. But because of the particular concentration and visibility of this current misogynist campaign, we wanted to highlight, in solidarity with feminist critics and thinkers everywhere, some of the wonderful, complicated and powerful work that has been done against, outside and in spite of gaming’s heteropatriarchal structures. The simplest, easiest thing we can do in the face of these attacks is to spread the work that has sent these gaming man-children into an apoplectic rage. Many of the thinkers and designers on this list disagree, even vociferously, with one another; this list is not meant to represent a singular viewpoint, nor to imply that feminism is in any way univocal. Nor is this by any means an exhaustive or comprehensive list. It is instead meant as a useful and evolving resource. If we’ve missed a game, blog or piece you love, please send them to Willie [at] TheNewInquiry.com. And thanks to everyone who helped compile this list–please see the bottom of the syllabus for a list of contributors.

•Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games: Women as Background Decoration: Part 2. TRIGGER WARNING: some very upsetting in-game footage of violence against women. This video is the most recent in Feminist Frequency‘s incredible crowdfunded video series Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games (more herehereherehere and here), which through video essays centered around game footage reveal the most insidious patriarchal and violent misogynist tropes in video games. Host and writer Anita Sarkeesian has been particularly targeted by misogynist threats.

•Zoe Quinn’s Depression Quest: An interactive, educational story game about depression and the often very difficult and personal methods required to overcome it. The game is available for free on Steam–it’s pay what you will–but if you can afford it, consider buying the beautiful game to support Quinn, who has faced near constant harassment since the game’s release.

A bigbig thanks to TNI contributor Ben Gabriel (@Benladen) without whom this list would only be a shell of its current self. Thank yous also to Lauren Naturale (@lnaturale), Twitter users FKA Stamens (@33mhz) and Kamin Katze (@_kaminkatze), everyone who spread the call for submissions, and anyone who contributes more to the syllabus in the future!